Wire clamp



Sept. 29, "19-25. 1 1,555,295

P. B. KROUT WIRE. Chm? v Filed Supt-.115. 1924 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

PALLED BERTRAM KROUT, O'F NARBERTH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE CLAMP.

A lication filed September 15, 1924.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PALLED BERTRAM KnoU'r, a citizen of the United States, rcsiding at N arberth, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wire Clamps, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to devices for clamping in parallel relation, wires, cables or ropes; such device including a block of elliptical configuration, having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, a single groove extending obliquely transverse to said major axis; lugs upon respectively opposite sides of said groove, in unsymmetrical relation with said block; a U-bolt adapted to extend through said bolt holes, with its bight crossing said groove, and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads: whereby a pair of Wires may be clamped in parallelrelation with each other and in oblique relation to the axis. of said block.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings; Fig. I is a plan view of a clamp conveniently embodying my invention; showingv a pair of wiresclamped therein in parallel relation. Fig. II is a longitudinal side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. I. Fig. III is a longitudinal sectional view of said structure, taken on the line III, III in Fig. I. Fig. IV is a transverse side elevation of said structure. Fig. V is a transverse sectional view of said structure, taken on the line V, V in Fig. I. Fig. VI is a plan view of a quadruple form of. my invention.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. I to V inclusive, the block 1, which is conveniently formed as a drop-forging of steel, of elliptical configuration, has two bolt holes 2 and 3 (xtending therethrough, in the longitudinal recess 4 and intersecting the major axis of the ellipse, and a single groove 5 extending obliquely transverse to said major axis. The lugs 6 project from said block upon respectively opposite sides of" said recess 4 and groove 5, in unsymmetrical relation with said block, and have Serial No. 737,759.

oppositely converging plane wedge faces 8 and 9 respectively parallel with and merging into said recess at and groove 5. That is to say, my block 1 is distinguished from certain prior art structures in that the elements of form thereof upon one side of the median longitudinal plane indicated at III, III in Fig. I have no corresponding elements upon the opposite side of said plane upon one continued perpendicular to that plane and at the same distance from it, the latter being characteristic of the symmetr cal structures of the prior art. The U-bolt 1O is adapted to extend through said bolt holes 2 and 3, with its bight l1 crossing said groove 5, and has each of its ends screw threaded for engagement with respective nuts 12. Said lug faces 8 and 9 serve as guides, for said bolt 10 which is drawn into clamping position, by said nuts, with its opposite sides sliding .in contact therewith, as shown. in Fig. I, said bolt being thus twisted and torsionally stressed to rotate its plane'in the direction ofthe arrows in Fig I, whereby a pair of wires, such as indicated at 13, 3 may be clamped in parallel relation with each other and in oblique relation to said axis of the block 1, with said bolt and wires held against displacement between said faces; and it is to be particularly noted that although, as shown in Fig. V, said groove 5 is wider than said wires 13, so that the latter may be placed therein without constriction bythe opposite faces 9 of said lugs 6, said faces 9 join said faces 8 at an incline, as indicated in Fig. III. and said faces 8 converge under the bight 11 of said bolt 10 toward the bottom of the groove which forms the bolt recess 4, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. IV, so that as said bolt 10 is drawndownward, it is twisted as aforesaid in the direction of the arrows on Fig. I, and the described construction and arrangement are such as to wedge and stress the wires in the clamp, both in the direction of length of said bolt and laterally, in the direction of the arrows in Fig. I, so as to hold the wires tightly together, by said bolt 10, laterally supported by contact .with said converging wedge faces 8 and 9 of said lugs 6.

Although I have shown in said Figs. I to V, a full size illustration of a clamp adapted to rigidly secure, by means of a single three-eighth inch diameter bolt, of U-shape, two wires or cables each threeeighths of an inch in diameter, it is to be understood that I may use a bolt of J-shape in said block 1, and do not desire to limit myself to those shapes or dimensions. For instance, when it is desired to secure a cable subjected to considerable tensile strain, I prefer to provide a single block capable of cooperating with a plurality of bolts, as such a construction and arrangement is not only less costly than to provide the same number of bolts with separate blocks, but occupies less space and may be more conveniently handled and adjusted.

In Fig. VI, the clamp block 15, which is conveniently formed as a drop-forging of steel has eight bolt holes 16 and 17 in staggered relation respectively upon opposite sides of the groove'lS, said holes being arranged in four pairs respectively extending in four recesses 19, which extend obliquely transverse to said groove. T he lugs 20 and "21 project from said block 15 upon respectively opposite sides of said groove 18 and the respective recesses 19, and have oppositely l converging plane wedge faces 23 and 24 reinvention,

spectively parallel with and merging into said groove 18 and the local recesses 19. The bolts 25 are each adapted to extend through a pair of said bolt holes 16 and 17 with their bights 26 crossing said groove 18, and. each bolt has its ends screw threaded for en gagement with respective nuts 27. Said lug faces 23 and 24: serve as guides, whereby a pair of wires or cables 28 may be clamped in parallel relation with each other in said block 15 with said wires and bolts held against displacement between said faces. As above noted, with reference to the single bolt form of my invention, the described construction and arrangement are such as to wedge and stress the wires or cables in the clamp, both in the direction of the length of the bolts and laterally in alternately opposite directions at adjoining bolt holes and lugs so as to hold the wires tightly together.

It is to be understood that I may use bolts of J-shape in the multiple form of my invention shown in Fig. VI, and that I do not desire to limit myself to the specific details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wire clamp; the combination with a drop-forged metal block of elliptical configuration, having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, and a single groove extending obliquely transverse to said major axis, and a bolt recess intersecting its major axis and crossing said groove obliquely; of lugs upon respectively opposite sides of said groove and recess; a U bolt fitted to extend through said bolt holes, with its bight crossing said groove and having each of its ends screw threaded: and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said lugs having converging wedge faces, adapted to engage said bolt and merging in said recess; whereby a pair of cables may be clamped in said groove, by the tightening of said nuts, and the consequent twisting sliding movement of said bolt along said converging wedge faces.

2. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block of elliptical configuration, having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, and a single groove extending obliquely transverse to said major axis, and a bolt recess extending between said bolt holes and crossing said groove; of lugs upon respectively opposite sides of said groove and recess; a U bolt fitted to extend through said bolt holes, with its bight crossing said groove and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said lugs having converging wedge faces, adapted to engage said bolt and merging in said recess; whereby a pair of wires may be clamped in said groove, by the tightening of said nuts, and the consequent twisting sliding movement of said bolt along said converging wedge faces.

3. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal member having projecting lugs adapted for wedging engagement with a U bolt, and engagement with wires in parallel; of a bolt adapted to extend through holes in said metal member with a bight transversely crossing said wires; and nuts fitted to engage the screw threads of said bolt; whereby wires may be wedged and stressed in the clamp, both in the direction of the length of said bolt and laterally against said lugs by the torsional wedging engagement of said bolt with said lugs.

l. Ina wire clamp; the combination with a metal block of elliptical configuration, having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, and a groove extending transverse to said major axis and a bolt recess extending between said bolt holes and crossing said groove; of a U bolt fitted to extend through said bolt holes, with a bight crossing said groove and having each end screw threaded; and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said recess having outwardly diverging surfaces adapted for wedging engagement with said bolt; whereby wires clamped in said groove are so stressed laterally-as tov tend to rotate them in the plane of their axes, by tightening said nuts.

5. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block of elliptical configuration,

having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, and a single groove extending obliquely transverse to said major axis, and a bolt recess extending between said bolt holes and crossing said groove; of lugs upon respectively opposite sides of said groove and recess; a U bolt fitted to extend through said boltholes, with its bight crossing said groove and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said lugs having converging wedge faces, adapted to engage said bolt to rotate its plane transversely and merging in said recess; whereby a pair of wires, clamped in said groove, by tightening said nuts, are wedged and stressed laterally between said lugs and said bolt, and held in parallel relation in said groove.

6. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block of elliptical configuration, having two bolt holes extending through it, intersecting its major axis, and a single groove extending obliquely transverse to said major axis, and a bolt recess extending between said bolt holes and crossing said groove; of lugs upon respectively opposite sides of said groove and recess; a U bolt fitted to extend through said bolt holes, with its bight crossing said grove and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts adapted to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said lugs having converging wedge faces, adapted for sliding engagement with said bolt and merging in said recess; whereby a pair of cables, clamped in said groove by tightening said nuts, are stressed laterally against the sides of said groove, by the sliding and wedging of said bolt along said faces, and held in parallel relation in said groove.

7 In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal member having oppositely inclined wedge faces forming a groove, and a bolt recess crossing said groove; of a screw threaded member extending through said metal member and transversely to said groove, having wedging engagement in said bolt recess to turn it transversely; whereby a wire may be wedged and clamped between said faces and thereby stressed in transverse direction to hold it.

8. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block, having oppositely converging faces forming a groove, and a bolt recess crossing said groove, said recess having diverging wedge faces; of a screw threaded member having means toturn it transversely by engagement with said diverging wedge faces; so constructed and arranged that a Wire clamped in said groove is so stressed as to tend to rotate it in the plane of its axis, and is thereby held in said block.

9. A wire clamp block formed of metal, having a wire groove, a bolt recess obliquely crossing said groove, and bolt holesin said recess respectively upon opposite sides of said groove; lugs having outwardly diverging faces projecting from said block upon opposite sides of said groove and recess; a U bolt fitted to extend through said bolt holes,with a bight crossing said groove, and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts arranged to respectively engage said bolt screw threads; said outward diverging faces of said bolt recess forming a V-shaped recess adapted for wedging engagement with said bolt; whereby wires may be clamped together in parallel, by tightening said nuts, and stressed laterally against said diverging faces of said groove.

10. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal member having oppositely converging faces, forming a groove, and bolt recesses crossing said groove; said recesses having outwardly diverging Wedge faces, and two bolt holes in each recess; of screw threaded members havingmeans to adjust them transversely to said outwardly diverging wedge faces, so constructed and arranged that a wire clamped in said groove is sostressed as to tend to rotate it in the plane of its axis, in alternately opposite directions at adjoining faces and is thereby held in said metal member.

11. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block having a groove with oppositely converging faces, and a series of bolt recesses extending obliquely transverse to said groove, and two bolt holes in each recess; of a series of U bolts, each fitted to a pair of said bolt holes, with a bight crossing said groove obliquely; and nuts adapted for said bolts; said bolt recesses having outwardly diverging faces adapted for wedging engagement with said bolts, arranged to rotate the plane of said bolt transversely; whereby wires clamped in said groove, by tightening said nuts, are wedged and stressed laterally, at each bolt hole; in alternately opposite directions at adjoining bolt holes.

12. A metal block for a wire clamp, having a plurality of bolt recesses in parallel relation to each other and in obliquely transverse relation to a wire groove; and lugs between adjoining recesses, in staggered rela tion, upon opposite sides of said groove; two bolt holes in each of said bolt recesses and extending through said metal block; U bolts fitted to respectively extend through said two bolt holes in each of said bolt recesses, having a bight crossing said groove obliquely transversely and having each of its ends screw threaded; and nuts adapted to engage said bolt screw threads; said lugs having converging wedge faces, adapted for wedging engagement with said bolts and merging in said recesses; whereby wires clamped in said groove, by tightening said nuts, are wedged and stressed laterally at each bolt holein alternately opposite directions at adjoining bolt holes.

13. In a wire clamp; the combination with a metal block having a groove wider from top to bottom than the wires to be clamped therein; said block having a bolt recess extending transversely to said groove, with bolt holes at the opposite ends thereof extending through said block; said bolt recess having opposite wedge faces extending transversely to said groove and converging toward the bottom of said bolt recess; and

a U-bolt having its ends adapted to extend through said bolt holes and provided-with nuts; whereby, said bolt is brought into sliding contact with said wedge faces upon opposite sides thereof when drawn into said In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 11th day of September, 1924.

PALLED BERTRAM KROUT. 

